C5 a/c issues
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 1
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C5 a/c issues
I turn on my a/c sbout 3 seconds later it goes Off I replaced the outside temp sensor checke all fuses related to the a/c my interior sensor indicates it’s good according to my testing with a meter I’m going crazy with problem it just happened from one moment to the next advice woukd be gladly accepted or is there any short cut making the a/c work. Thnx
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
have you checked, or had checked, refrigerant pressures? Low refrigerant will do exactly what you've described. Easiest thing to do would be to see if you can find a local A/C shop that has a special on basic A/C system service or check-out. In the old days there would be ads in the sports pages. Now it's probably more of a facebook thing.
Cheapest would be a refrigerant kit with a can of R134 and a gauge that reads in PSI. Hook up the gage to the low side and see what static (engine and A/C off) pressure is. It should be pretty much the same as outdoor temperature.
Cheapest would be a refrigerant kit with a can of R134 and a gauge that reads in PSI. Hook up the gage to the low side and see what static (engine and A/C off) pressure is. It should be pretty much the same as outdoor temperature.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 1,183
From: Conyers Georgia
Have someone turn on the ac while you are near the engine and see if the compressor clutch engages. If not you are probably low on refrigerant. There are those that say you should never lose refrigerant. Thats true for home systems that have all copper lines that are brazed at each connection but in a car you have o rings, rubber hoses both of which could cause a loss. Get one of those 134a recharge cans with the gauge and see if it is low..
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 11,774
Likes: 1,376
From: US
o rings on the compressor are known to go. I had mine sitting for years, and when I got around to installing the supercharger/cam/etc, the AC was shot.
As others have said-- check the pressure using an AC manifold, assuming it's low, recharge it with refrigerant that has UV dye in it -- cycle the AC, get a UV light and glasses (any parts store has them), and you'll see the leak -- it'll show up bright yellow under UV light . I'd bet that the leak is around the compressor.
I don't recommend using the 134a cans with the gauge -- they are known to be inaccurate, and if you overfill the system you can damage it. An AC manifold is cheap, as are the uv light and glasses. IF you don't want to buy it, any decent parts store will loan you the parts for the weekend for less than $50.
If you don't feel up to doing the check and recharge (it's really simple) most shops will charge a modest fee to do the check. Most will roll the cost in if you use them to do the repair.
New compressors are really not that much, and not all too difficult to replace.
As others have said-- check the pressure using an AC manifold, assuming it's low, recharge it with refrigerant that has UV dye in it -- cycle the AC, get a UV light and glasses (any parts store has them), and you'll see the leak -- it'll show up bright yellow under UV light . I'd bet that the leak is around the compressor.
I don't recommend using the 134a cans with the gauge -- they are known to be inaccurate, and if you overfill the system you can damage it. An AC manifold is cheap, as are the uv light and glasses. IF you don't want to buy it, any decent parts store will loan you the parts for the weekend for less than $50.
If you don't feel up to doing the check and recharge (it's really simple) most shops will charge a modest fee to do the check. Most will roll the cost in if you use them to do the repair.
New compressors are really not that much, and not all too difficult to replace.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,600
Likes: 3,318
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
In theory you shouldn't lose refrigerant. However, the fact that those R134 recharge kits even exist on the open market proves that it DOES happen. I would bet you have a leak somewhere. Good luck tracking it down. If that turns out to be the problem, you can put dye in the system that will allow you to find the problem.
Moderator
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 11,774
Likes: 1,376
From: US
In theory you shouldn't lose refrigerant. However, the fact that those R134 recharge kits even exist on the open market proves that it DOES happen. I would bet you have a leak somewhere. Good luck tracking it down. If that turns out to be the problem, you can put dye in the system that will allow you to find the problem.yanking the compressor out (becuase that's the most likely source of the leak) ... THAT's the pain in the ....
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 230
Likes: 155
I turn on my a/c sbout 3 seconds later it goes Off I replaced the outside temp sensor checke all fuses related to the a/c my interior sensor indicates it’s good according to my testing with a meter I’m going crazy with problem it just happened from one moment to the next advice woukd be gladly accepted or is there any short cut making the a/c work. Thnx
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,864
Likes: 4,667
I turn on my a/c sbout 3 seconds later it goes Off I replaced the outside temp sensor checke all fuses related to the a/c my interior sensor indicates it’s good according to my testing with a meter I’m going crazy with problem it just happened from one moment to the next advice woukd be gladly accepted or is there any short cut making the a/c work. Thnx
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